(206) 842-6363
Emily Criss
Executive DirectoR
First Years
Children's Center
At First Years Children’s Center, our mission is to create a safe and nurturing environment where every child feels supported, and valued. We strive to foster a sense of warmth and understanding so that our Center feels like a natural extension of your family. We believe a child’s first educational experience should be meaningful and memorable - building a strong foundation for a lifelong interest in learning, and the ability to form meaningful friendships with others.
Vision
About Us
First Years Children’s Center provides a nurturing environment for children from 4 weeks old through the start of kindergarten. We are open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with preschool and pre-kindergarten programming running from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily.
Throughout the year, children have opportunities to participate in enrichment activities such as sports camp, farm camp, and swimming lessons. Our program also includes engaging community outings, including walks to local parks and playgrounds, visits to the library, and field trips using our center bus.
For over two decades, First Years has been dedicated to serving families on Bainbridge Island. Since becoming a nonprofit in 2013, we have continued to deepen our commitment to the community and strengthen the services we provide to children and families.
We envision a child care community where children are empowered to learn through project-based experiences and child-led exploration. Guided by a Reggio-inspired emergent curriculum, we nurture curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, allowing each child’s interests to shape meaningful learning. Our goal is to cultivate confident, capable learners in an environment that values collaboration, discovery, and a deep sense of belonging.
First Years Children's Center participates in the Early Achievers program. Our most recent rating was given in February 2024, and we proudly received another 3. If you would like to get more information on Early Achievers and how it benefits your child's care and educational experience, click on the logo link above!